From Algeria to South Africa, passing through Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Uganda, election-related violence has become a prominent feature of Africa’s political landscape in the past two decades (Carson et al., 2024).
The central argument of the article is that, although the patterns, causes, and consequences of election-related violence do not necessarily follow the same trends in different African countries (due to, among other factors, inter-country historical, socio-economic, and political differences), there are commonalities in the types, causes, and consequences of such violence on the continent.
Violence is understood as specific acts against politicians, including physical, psychological (acts that cause trauma and harm mental health and well-being, like death threats, sexual harassment, and unwanted advances), and economic (which includes property damage) (Curtice & Behlendorf, 2021). Violence is further understood to take place both in-person and digitally.
Recent reports about violence in different parts of Uganda suggest a direct and positive association between state security and electoral violence activities in Uganda. To that end, providing security and enforcing adherence to electoral procedures during all major elections in a country are major state tasks (Kosiara-Pedersen, 2024). Moreover, candidates’ hate speeches, as a major security threat, serve as a catalyst for fueling electoral violence activities. When people use inflammatory statements or insults on political opponents with impunity, without regard for their followers and democratic principles, supporters, party foot soldiers, and political vigilante groups step in to protect the image and dignity of their political leaders using any means necessary.
Many studies highlight that political violence is perceived by 95% of candidates as a “normal” aspect of Ugandan politics. This suggests that rather than deterring engagement, violence may be seen as a “cost of doing politics”. Ultimately, there is a symbiotic relationship between state security, electoral violence, and democratization that the party foot soldiers initially begin as complements to state security agencies and eventually turn into an uncontrollable force if the state security apparatus is deployed unprofessionally. This can escalate into a chaotic situation that may result in electoral violence.
While a thorough understanding of the patterns and causes of election-related violence in Uganda is crucial in addressing the problem, an effective prevention strategy should embrace a multi-level approach targeting all significant stakeholders in Uganda’s electoral process. This includes leadership of political parties, the independent electoral commissions, civil society organizations, the general public, and external partners.
Merry X-Mas!
Nestor Basemera PhD.
Email basemeranestor3@gmail.com
The writer is a researcher
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